Children’s charity The Archie Foundation has secured new funding towards the salary costs of two of its bereavement team, amid increased demand for local children who have suffered a loss.
Archie’s Child Bereavement Service provides specialist support to youngsters across the north of Scotland, following the death of a family member or other loved one, or while a person special to them is receiving end of life care.
The St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation has awarded £87,000 to support two ACBS bereavement staff. The grant will help to cover salary costs over the next three years.
Archie’s Child Bereavement Service started out as a committee and has expanded to include support staff and volunteers across the north of Scotland, including the far north, the West Coast, Tayside and Orkney.
It has 11 members of staff and a team of 69 highly trained volunteers, who last year supported 321 children in the North-east, 105 in the Highlands and 171 in Tayside.
Bereavement service manager Malcolm Stewart said: “We are extremely grateful to the St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation and its local partner Alan Rutherford Wealth Management Limited, for this much-needed grant funding. The money will allow us to provide an essential service to even more children after a bereavement.
“Around 2,390 parents of school-aged children die in Scotland each year, leaving almost 4,000 children without a parent. Many more children are bereaved of grandparents, siblings and other special people in their family and life.
“Grieving children may withdraw, isolate, act out or struggle to communicate, leading to developmental or educational milestones being impacted,” he said. “We know that if a child does not receive adequate support to help adapt to life without their special person it can affect their educational attainment, have an adverse effect on their mental health and their abilities to develop and reach their full potential.
“With an extended team of dedicated workers and volunteers we are now able to reach and support even more children who have experienced loss and need some help to work through feelings which are often complex.”
The team offers a wide range of services, which are tailored to suit the individual needs of each child and their family.
Following an initial conversation by phone, the team decides how best to support the child or young person.
This can range from providing specialist books to help a child understand what the death of a loved one means and to understand their emotions to craft sessions, group events and activity days.
The experienced team also offers advice on effective communication and what to say to parents to mirror what is being shared in school, as well as group and one-to-one sessions.
As the local introducer to The St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, Alan Rutherford of Alan Rutherford Wealth Management endorsed The Archie Foundations application.
He has been a regular donor to the Archie Foundation since 2021, including sponsoring Archie’s annual golf fundraiser.
“The St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation considers applications for grant funding, and we are pleased to be able to support The Archie Foundation and Archie’s Child Bereavement Service by endorsing their application so it can continue its important work,” said Alan.
“The team does incredible work, and we are proud to play a part in helping to provide local youngsters with support and tools they can use throughout their lives.”
In March 2022, the ACBS service expanded to include Tayside and Highlands, where there are experienced staff and volunteers supporting children and families. Services are tailored to suit the individual needs of each child and their family.
The Archie Foundation supports babies, children and families during a hospital visit or stay, as well as following a bereavement.
Archie has helped children and families across the north of Scotland for more than 25 years, funding specialist roles and projects at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and, more recently, at Highland Children’s Unit, Tayside Children’s Hospital and Dr Gray’s Hospital, Elgin.
Visit www.archie.org/getsupport/ for more information about the practical, financial and emotional support available from The Archie Foundation, or https://archie.org/bereavement/ for details of how to access help from Archie’s Child Bereavement Service.